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Russian Beriev BE-200 Amphibious Aircraft

The Beriev Be-200 Altair (Russian: Бериев Бе-200) is a multipurpose amphibious aircraft designed by the Beriev Aircraft Company and manufactured by Irkut. Marketed as being designed for fire fighting, search and rescue, maritime patrol, cargo, and passenger transportation, it has a capacity of 12 tonnes (12,000 litres, 3,170 US gallons) of water, or up to 72 passengers.

The name Altair was chosen after a competition amongst Beriev and Irkut staff in 2002/2003. The name Altair was chosen as it is not only the name of the alpha star in the Eagle constellation, but also because “Al” is the first part of the name of the Beriev A-40 Albatross amphibious aircraft, whose layout was the development basis for the creation of the Be-200, “ta” stands for Taganrog, and “ir” stands for Irkutsk.

The first Be-200 test aircraft completed its maiden flight in September 1998. Be-200ES, the first production aircraft, touched the skies in June 2003. The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (Emercom) was the first customer to receive an aircraft in July 2003 under seven Be-200 fire-fighting and rescue aircraft order. The Ministry of Emergencies, Azerbaijan, took the delivery of one Be-200ES aircraft in 2008.

The Russian Navy plans to procure four Be-200 aircraft for reconnaissance and search and rescue duties, with deliveries scheduled between 2010 and 2013. The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of China is also in discussions with Russia to buy the maritime search and rescue variant.

Beriev Be-200 amphibious aircraft design

The aircraft was designed by Beriev Aircraft and is assembled at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant of Irkut.

Designed as a multirole amphibious platform, the Be-200 can be configured for a range of missions. The aircraft is a high-wing T-tail monoplane with a single-step design hull. The design provides stability in water.

The airframe is made of aluminium alloys and coated with corrosion-protection materials. The Be-200 features significant maritime characteristics to perform littoral and blue water operations. The aircraft delivers flight characteristics similar to conventional aircraft.

Be-200 mission variants

The Be-200 mission variants include fire-fighting, search and rescue, freighter, passenger aircraft and ambulance. The fire-fighting variant has a crew of two members, and is fitted with fire extinguishing fluid and water tanks. The aircraft can drop 270t of water on the fire area without refuelling.

Firefighting version

The Be-200 is an amphibious air-tanker with water-scooping capability.

The aircraft can scoop water into eight water tanks while gliding on the water surface, or they can be filled with water or fire retardant from cistern or hydrant at the airfield. Water tanks are installed under the floor of the pressurised cargo cabin, thus providing ample room inside the cabin for the fire crew or cargo accommodation.

WATER SCOOPING

Be-200 at Santa Maria – Image: wildfiretoday.com

While gliding on the water surface, the Be-200 scoops up to 12 tons of water in 18 seconds. The water tanks are filled through two symmetrical scoops located behind the front hull bottom step, where the maximum pressure of water flow occurs.

To avoid hydrodynamic shock induced by water scooping, the water tanks are vented through pressure balancing ducts.

The aircraft can be also equipped with auxiliary tanks for fire-retarding chemical agents, with a total capacity of up to 1.2 cubic meters (317 US gal). Radial flow pumps are used to mix the special foam-forming liquid with the water being dropped to enhance its firefighting effectiveness. Source redstar.gr

The search and rescue (SAR) variant can perform operations within an area of 200 miles for 6.5 hours. The aircraft is equipped with an inflatable rubber dinghy, thermal-imaging and optical search aids and first-aid kit. The SAR variant can be configured to carry 45 passengers.

The transport variant is fitted with floor-mounted cargo-handling equipment to transport loose cargoes, as well as cargoes loaded in standard containers and pallets. The aircraft has the capacity to carry 6.5t payload.

The passenger variant, designated as Be-210, can carry 72 passengers. It has the maximum range of 1,850km.

Passenger

Be-200 unique amphibious characteristics permit new transport scheme of collecting passengers at a ground hub and delivering them to a remote area with landing on water.

The passenger version accommodates up to 68 seats. The crew is augmented by two flight attendants.

The Be-200 can be converted from cargo to passenger version within one hour, the approximate time required to mount the passenger seats.

If the aircraft is exclusively designated as a passenger carrier, a galley, wardrobe modules, and overhead baggage compartments will be installed.

VIP

The 18-seat VIP configuration will feature a luxurious passenger cabin. Customized communications and audiovisual systems can be installed at customer’s request. Source redstar.gr

The BE-200 ambulance version can accommodate ten medical staff as well as 30 injured persons on stretchers. The aircraft feature emergency diagnostics and intensive care facilities.

Search-and-rescue version

The Be-200 can perform prolonged search-and-rescue missions. At a distance of 370 km (200 nm) from base, the patrol time is 5.6 hours.

Additional equipment includes an inflatable boat, thermal vision and optical surveillance means, and medical equipment. The search-and-rescue aircraft can accommodate a rescue team of 45.

The aircraft can be converted for medical evacuation missions. In this case, it is capable of accommodating up to 30 stretcher casualties accompanied by medical personnel with medical emergency equipment.Source redstar.gr

Cargo cabin dimensions:

Length

17.0m

Maximum width

2.640 m

Width

2.340 m

Ηeight

1.895m

ASW (Patrol Anti-submarine aircraft)

The Be-220 was developed to replace the Be-12 the Navy Russia following requirements of the Navy.

The navies of Russia decided to supply six Be-200 anti-submarine aircraft based on Be-200 and expected to be put into service with the Russian Navy until 2020. Of the six aircraft both will be in the role of naval cooperation and research – Rescue (Be -200/220 PS).

1. Radar; 2. The design of the aircraft will be upgraded to accommodate ASW weapons; 3.Aircraft weapons bay; 4. MAD (Magnetic anomaly detector); 5. Stabilizer fairing; 6. The engine SaM-146 as an alternative to D-436TP (Ukrainian design); 7. ASW equipment; 8.Cockpit: it will be equipped with four color displays and a large multifunction display or will be equipped with three large multifunction displays

Be-200 cockpit

The Be-200 is equipped with a partial glass cockpit. The cockpit features a digital flight control (fly-by-wire) system and modern navigation systems, including satellite navigation (GPS), flight management system (FMS), autopilot and weather radar.

The flight control system, integrated with an aerodynamic design, provides high manoeuvrability at low speeds as well as better handling capabilities and safety, and reduces the pilot’s workload.

Featuring an advanced flight-and-navigation system and built-in automated test equipment, the Be-200 is designed for a crew of two.

The onboard avionics suite allows the crew to fly the aircraft and implement specific amphibious tasks during firefighting in automatic mode, such as approach to the fire site, approach to the water scooping area, landing approach to 60-m altitude, detection of aircraft’s position during group operation in low visibility conditions, and others. Six multifunction LCDs installed in the cockpit provide the pilots with the consistent flow of data to ease piloting, navigation, mission employment, and in-flight diagnostics.

The cockpit is fitted with control sticks rather than conventional control columns to facilitate flight control and manoeuvring at turbulent air environment over the fire site and in mountainous terrain. Source redstar.gr

Be-200 Head-Up Display System

Image: beriev.comImage: beriev.com

Beriev Aircraft Company is working on the adaptation of Be-200 aircraft for the maritime patrol and search-and-rescue missions in accordance with the requirements of the Indian Air Force and Navy.

In this area good prospects lie in the cooperation with SELEX Galileo (Italy) in connection with the installation of Airborne Tactical Observation and Surveillance Systems (ATOS) developed and produced by this company, onboard Bе-200 aircraft.

Airborne Tactical Observation and Surveillance Systems (ATOS)

Image: leonardocompany.com

ATOS provides wide area and targeted surveillance (overt or covert), anti-submarine warfare, and environmental and border control. It is an advanced, flexible, open architecture mission management system integrating a number of sensors and sub-systems in a highly modular design. ATOS has been selected by six different international customers, and more than 40 ATOS systems have been or are being installed on 10 different platforms. Source leonardocompany.com

Yet another line in the upgrading of the airborne equipment of Be-200 aircraft is the installation in Be-200 cockpit of the Head-Up Display System of SAAB development. Apart from this, the aircraft will be equipped with a visual-range monitoring video camera and with an IR-camera to be mounted over the windshield, the data from which will be displayed on the head-up display.

A similar system has already been tested on the prototype Be-200 amphibious aircraft, and may, upon the customer’s request, be installed on the aircraft being manufactured as well as on serial amphibious aircraft already in operation. Source beriev.com

Be-200 avionics suite

The Be-200 integrates a full suite of avionics for all weather requirements. The ARIA 200-M all-weather integrated avionics system features six large LCDs. The system is developed by Honeywell along with the Moscow Research Institute of Aircraft Equipment.

ARIA 200-M all-weather integrated avionics system

Image: kret.com

The high level of technological innovation and the world-class parameters of the new development led to the ARIA-200 system being included in Russia’s newest amphibious aircraft, the Be-200ChS, and its certification both in Russia (IAC AR) and Europe (EASA). It thus met both current and future requirements for international air navigation.

Since 2001, the system has been successfully used by Be-200ChS aircraft, and its modifications and related systems have been installed on Il-114-100, Il-96-300/400, Tu-204-100/300, and Tu-214 aircraft. During this period, the system was continually improved to include other functional tasks and ensure compliance with newly introduced international standards. In 2015, experts from the institute completed work on a significant modernization of the avionics installed on the Be-200ChS. Source kret.com

A comprehensive display system with six multifunction LCDs informs the crew of current status of flight-critical systems and equipment, provides flight and navigation data, and warns of equipment failure and/or malfunctions.

The attitude positioning of the aircraft is ensured by integrated processing of data fed from autonomous dead-reckoning devices, flight data systems, and data corrections refined by radio navigation and landing aids together with the satellite navigation system.

ARIA-200M also includes the weather radar system and radio communications.

High-bypass ratio engines

The aircraft is powered by two D436TP high-bypass ratio engines, a TA 12-60 auxiliary power unit, an engine control system and engine vibration monitoring system. The D436TP turbofan engines deliver a higher performance at hot-and-high conditions compared with turboprop engines installed on similar types of fire-fighting aircraft. The engines have been developed with advanced materials and innovative solutions.

D436TP high-bypass ratio engine

Designed for use on the multipurpose aircrafts with a payload mass of up to 8000 kg. Installed on the Be-200, Be-200ES amphibians. The engine has the Type Certificate. In conformity with existing ICAO Environmental Standard requirements. In commercial production since 2000.

TA-12A APU

TA12-60 is a single-shaft auxiliary gas-turbine engine with the equivalent power of 360 kWt. This engine is designed for aircraft and helicopter APUs. It is used for air turbine start of the helicopter and aircraft mid-flight engines, AC electric power of 115/200 V, power up to 60 kWA and providing air conditioning for cockpit and cabins.

High overall efficiency of the engine is based on the use of a 4-stage axial compressor. An annular reverse-flow combustion chamber of evaporative type provides 0,99 burning and low content of hydrocarbons in the exhaust gases. The engine contains a 3-stage axial turbine. Driving units, including alternator, are installed on the engine’s gearbox.

The noise level of the TA12-60 engine, when installed on the craft, does not exceed 90 dB.

The engine complies with the Norms of Aircraft Airworthiness (NLGS-3); this is confirmed by a type certificate No 101-VD issued by the Aviation Register of the IAC.

Since 2005 the TA 12-60 APU has been operated under the second strategy. The TA 12-60 APU is operated subject to the technical condition till the specified life time of the principle components is terminated (4,000 hr/starts).

Design features

Application

The first application of SaM146 is the Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft family, created by Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (UAC, Russia) in cooperation with Alenia Aermacchi (Finmeccanica, Italy):• SaM146-1S17 for SSJ100-95B regional jet• SaM146-1S18 for SSJ100-95LR regional jet and SBJ business jet

Advantages

Compact, reliable, efficient and eco-friendly engine, based on combination of advanced and proven technologies, Western and Russian engine-building expertise:• certified in accordance with EASA and IAC AR standards• wide range of thrust• high reliability (on a par with CFM56 standard)• meets the ICAO ecological standards• full commonality within aircraft family• low cost of ownership

SaM146 power plant and all after-sale services are delivered by PowerJet SA.

Aircraft landing gear

The aircraft is equipped with hydraulically operated rearward retractable landing gear units. Each unit has two wheels in addition to a water rudder, which provides steering in the water. The underwing stabiliser floats fitted on wings provide stability in water.

Be-200 aircraft performance

The Be-200 can fly at a maximum speed of 680km/h. It has a range of 3,300km and service ceiling of 8,000m. The aircraft can climb at a rate of 3,350ft per minute. The Be-200’s maximum take-off weight on the runway and water is 41t and 37.9t respectively.